I just wanted to write a quick blog post on the topic of elder financial abuse, as we are seeing a rise in these cases.  I have to admit that I am shocked at how some “friends” and even family take advantage of the more experienced generations.  Many times, the elder is taken advantage of by someone they trust.  And it is quite common to see the elder suffering from some level of cognitive impairment, such as alzheimer’s or dementia.  To get some basic information on what to look out for, take a look at these two sites: http://www.preventelderabuse.org/elderabuse/fin_abuse.html and
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2013/01/protecting-mom-dad-s-money/index.htm

As I mentioned, we are helping several families right now with holding responsible the scammers who took advantage of their older family member and recovering what we can of the financial losses.  Look for a follow-up blog post on the topic in the future.  In the meantime, if you or someone you know has an “older” friend or family member who they suspect may be a victim of elder financial abuse, please contact me.